EL PASO, Texas >> Five long years of frustration finally ended for Shawn Withy-Allen last night. Withy-Allen gets chance
to show skills
UH comes through on the road
Key stats
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comThe fifth-year senior who looks like a quarterback, talks like a quarterback and throws like a quarterback -- and runs like a running back -- finally got a real chance to show his skills for the Hawaii football team last night in a game.
"It felt just like practice," Withy-Allen said. "I just knew it, I had a feeling this morning that this would be a big night for me."
It turned out to be. He was a key factor in Hawaii's 31-6 victory at Texas-El Paso.
The Kalaheo graduate passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in a time-sharing role with starter Tim Chang last night.
"We planned on putting him in," said Hawaii coach June Jones, who elevated Withy-Allen to Chang's backup after Jason Whieldon left the team last week for family reasons (Whieldon is expected to return to the Warriors tomorrow).
"We put in some new wrinkles in the offense for him and Jason," Jones said. "He ran the ball well. All in all, he came in and made some great plays."
Jones said Chang is still UH's starting quarterback. Chang and Withy-Allen rotated several series as the game wore on.
"He was maybe trying to do a little too much," Jones said of Chang's 9-for-27 passing for 85 yards. "He'll be better next week."
Jones said Withy-Allen, who completed 5 of 10 passes for 89 yards and led UH with 67 yards rushing on six carries, could see substantial playing time in future games.
"It depends on how the game is, who we're playing and how they defend us," Jones said. "We thought he could take advantage of some of the things UTEP does on defense and that turned out to be right."
Withy-Allen -- who has seen most of his action on the kickoff team -- has rarely played quarterback in games for UH since his arrival at Manoa in 1998. He has come tantalizingly close, such as when he was the No. 1 quarterback last spring when Chang was rehabbing a wrist injury.
"I wouldn't trade the last four years for anything," Withy-Allen said. "Although they've been the longest four years of my life."
Safety Hyrum Peters, who had quite a game himself with 13 tackles and two interceptions, was gratified to see Withy-Allen succeed.
"I'm happy for him. He's been waiting for that moment for so long," Peters said. "I don't doubt Timmy Chang, but I feel like whoever goes in can do the job."
Chang said he's ready for more time-sharing if that's what it takes to win.
"Shawn's been so patient," he said. "I'm really glad he did well. We needed it."
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